Inquiry clears MS in Srinagar hospital's infant deaths

A year after public outcry against the high infant mortality rate in Kashmir's only paediatric hospital, the inquiry officer appointed by the state government has given a clean chit to the then Medical Superintendent, who was charged with dereliction of duty.
There is nothing that lends credence to the charge of lack of supervision, dereliction of duties, negligence and lack of devotion on the part of Dr Javed Ahmad Chaudhary (then Medical Superintendent)," the inquiry officer, Bipul Pathak (IAS), observed in his report submitted to the government last month.
The report listed several initiatives undertaken by Chaudhary during his four-month stint saying it showed that he had made sincere efforts to improve the patient care and functioning of the hospital.

"This clearly indicates his (Chaudhary's) sincerity towards improving the conditions of the hospital during the short tenure of four months (as medical superintendent of the Hospital)," Pathak said.
Chaudhary, who was appointed as Medical Superintendent of G B Pant Children's Hospital in January last year, was attached to Government Medical College Srinagar on May 17, 2012 following media reports and public outcry against "high infant mortality rate" at the hospital.
The inquiry report highlights that the infant mortality rate had, in fact, dropped from 14.49 per cent in January 2012 to 10.72 per cent in April 2012.

Although the death rate had increased to 16 per cent in February last year, Pathak observed that "it is clear that the mortality rate has shown a downward trend in the month of April. It does partially reflect that Medical Superintendent started exercising better supervisory role".

According to a report filed by present Medical Superintendent Dr Muneer Masoodi before the High Court last month, the overall death rate the G B Pant Hospital has risen to 5.4 per cent this year compared to just 3.85 per cent during Dr Chaudhary's tenure.
The inquiry report deals in detail with the hygiene related issues and administrative issues at the hospital and, based on the documentary evidence, held that Chaudhary had "started in his new job with sincerity immediately after taking over".